Israel/Palestine

Midwives for Peace

This collaborative initiative began in 2005, concluding with COHI's involvement in 2013. The program continues to be directed and led by its local participants, a huge success! This women's health project focused on bringing together midwives from both sides of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict to share their commitment to their profession and to peace. Together, these women incorporated the midwifery model of care and international best practices, and worked together on several different occasions of professional development, locally and internationally.

Support for Eritrean Women’s Center

COHI continues to support a group of Eritrean refugee women and their families through a partnership with the Eritrean Women’s Center in Tel Aviv. Growing populations of refugees and asylum-seekers from African countries, such as Sudan and Eritrea, have been arriving in large numbers in Israel over the past few years. Most of the refugees enter Israel through the Sinai Desert, which connects the eastern border of Egypt with the south of Israel. After the long and wearying journey, they arrive in Israel and face the difficulties of life as refugees. Many of the refugees do not have medical insurance and are not eligible for the Israeli medical system. In the case of women, pregnancies and childbirth occur despite these challenges.

2015 Peace Through Health Delegation

The aim of this delegation was to provide healthcare professionals living outside of the region with an intimate perspective of healthcare challenges, innovation, and social justice action in Israel and the West Bank.

"We may not be building peace in a huge way, or peace at all. But we are building trust and understanding when Palestinian mothers come to Hadassah and see a Jewish doctor saving their child’s life."

– Dr. Haim, A Heart for Peace, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem

"Medicine is not controversial, it is not political. Health is health, it knows no borders. Israelis and Palestinians are sometimes seen as enemies, but disease and illness are the common enemy, not each other."

– Dr. Rafael (PHRI), mobile clinic in the West Bank

Our delegates met with regional leaders in healthcare, who are passionate about the possibility of health as a bridge between communities and cultures. While in the region, the delegates had intimate discussions about healthcare, peace, and the possibility of coexistence with professionals from the Rambam Healthcare Campus, the Eritrean Women's Center, A Heart for Peace at Hadassah hospital, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI), and Soroka Hospital.

"I believe that medicine can help make peace. I really do believe that. Here in the hospital you see everybody — I mean everybody. Jews, Palestinians, Arabs, Christians, all of them — getting treatment, and sharing rooms, and the physicians are all different and everybody is talking and working together and being friendly. We can do it [peace] as individuals, and doctors."

– Dr. Darawsha, Rambam Healthcare Campus, Haifa, Israel

Upcoming Peace Through Health Delegation- Fall 2017

We are inviting all interested delegates to apply for COHI's next Peace Through Health Delegation set to be held in Israel and Palestine in Fall of 2017. To apply for consideration, email COHI at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your CV and Letter of Interest.